During the second half of the eighteenth century, manufacturers of metal buttons began to brand their products by marking the backs with their names and often their addresses.
Functional buttons with buttonholes for fastening or closing clothes appeared in Germany in the 13th century. They soon became widespread with the rise of snug-fitting garments in 13th- and 14th-century Europe.
Pewter buttons were popular from 1700 to 1820, and then were revived in the 1850s. These buttons were molded and often homemade. They were either self-shanked from the molding process or were attached by wire shanks.
Indus Valley Civilisation The Indus Valley Civilisation are credited with the invention of the button and the earliest one we have in existence today dates from around 2000BCE and is made from a curved shell. The first buttons were used as ornamental embellishments to a persons attire and signified wealth or status.
Also, an important metal alloy to look for is pewter. A pewter button will leave a mark if scraped across a white paper. Mother of pearl buttons can also be identified using an interesting method. A mother of pearl button will be very cold if you press it against your cheek.